Silsesquioxanes are known in the art and refer to compounds having the empirical chemical formula RSiO3/2. These compounds can be used as a support for catalysts and typically have a cage like structure [1] in which n RSiO3/2 units are organized in a cage structure with the identity of R typically being an alkyl group. The organized cage like structure is typically referred to as polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes (POSS). The precise combined structure of these RSiO3/2 units vary depending on synthesis methods, starting materials and the catalyst used. An example of a silsesquioxane cage structure or in other words polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane structure (POSS) in which the four most common units form a cage of n RSiO3/2 units in a designated Tn cage structure correspond to following structure [1]:

WO200110871 discloses processes for the manufacture of polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes (POSS) which utilize the action of bases that are capable of either attacking silicon or any compound that can react with a protic solvent (e.g. ROH, . . . ) and generate hydroxide [OH], etc. This process may result in a partial POSS cage structure in which the cage structure lacks complete connection of all units in the cage. Said partial POSS cage structures may be referred to as silsesquioxane silanols, a typical example may be Trisilanol POSS which corresponds to the following structure [2]. These trisilanol POSS structures [2] can undergo further additional chemical manipulations to ultimately convert them into POSS-species suitable for polymerization, grafting, or other desirable chemical reactions.

Metalized polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane structures (POMS) are known in the art and known to be very suitable for use as catalysts. For example US20100125123 discloses metallized polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes and metallized polyhedral oligomeric silicates for use as cure promoters, catalysts, and alloying agents for the reinforcement of polymer microstructures, including polymer coils, domains, chains, and segments, at the molecular level.
Methods to produce polyurethane materials are well known at present. Various catalysts have been used to promote the gelling and optionally the blowing of the reactive materials in the blend of an isocyanate and an isocyanate reactive component. Various POMS catalysts are known as suitable catalysts for the urethane-bond providing reaction.
WO 2007/041344 mentions metallized nanostructured chemicals as cure promoters. Composite materials comprising polymers (including polyurethanes) and POMS, comprising Ti as metal are mentioned.
WO 2008/144735 discloses metallized polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes, metalized using Ti or Zr, as catalyst as cure promoters for polyurethanes.
WO 2009/065873 discloses polyhedral oligomeric stannasilsesquioxanes as catalyst for polyurethane curing. The polyurethane may be used in coatings, lacquers, paintings, films and polymer compositions and increases the scratch resistance of coatings.
WO2011/076570 discloses a method to form a urethane material, the method comprises blending and reacting at least one isocyanate, at least one isocyanate reactive component and a metallized polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane to provide said urethane material, the metallized polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane is a dimeric structure containing 2 oligomeric silsesquioxane structures wherein both silsesquioxane structures have a 6-coordinated metal center and wherein both silsesquioxane structures are linked together by means of alkoxides bridging the 6-coordinated metal centers.
For use in polyurethane formation and curing, titanium silsesquioxane compounds corresponding to structure [3] have only very limited activity while titanium silsesquioxane compounds corresponding to structure [4] have moderate activity. Furthermore, titanium silsesquioxane compounds corresponding to structure [4] release VOC. This results from the reaction of the isocyanate reactive component (polyol) with the alkoxy group 2 which renders alcohol as the VOC.
Furthermore all known titanium silsesquioxane compounds, for example those exemplified by structures [3] and [4] below, are microcrystalline solids. In practice, it is preferred to dissolve the additives required for polyurethane formation in one of the main stream ingredients meaning in the isocyanate reactive part (e.g. polyols) or in the isocyanate comprising part. To achieve that a high concentrated solution (catalyst masterbatch) is made first in e.g. a suitable polyol such that the required amount can added as such. As the state of the art titanium silsesquioxane catalytic compounds known till date have very low solubility in polyols a catalyst masterbatch cannot be made and hence the titanium silsesquioxane catalytic compounds first have to be dissolved in a suitable solvent which can be added then to the isocyanate reactive part (e.g. polyol).

The problem to be solved by the current invention is to provide metal (such as titanium) silsesquioxane catalytic compounds with improved catalytic activity, in particular for polyurethane formation and curing.
Furthermore it is the goal to provide metal (such as titanium) silsesquioxane catalytic compounds which have good solubility in polyols which makes it possible to make a catalyst masterbatch in e.g. the polyols used as isocyanate reactives in polyurethane formation.